Medical personnel and others wear identification badges with a person's photograph in a plastic case. The individual's name may or may not appear on the photograph. A clothespin type clamping device or other attaching device is generally provided for attaching the identification badge to a person's clothing. These badges have three primary shortcomings. They do not indicate, to the public, the professional status of the individual, written information on the badges adjacent to the individual's photograph can be read only when the badge is within a few feet of the reader and it is difficult to attach the badges to some clothing.
Medical personnel for example frequently wear hospital scrubs in medical facilities. Such clothing generally does not have pockets or collars. The elimination of pockets and collars makes them easier to sterilize and reduces drying time. Without pockets or collars there is no satisfactory place to attach a clothespin type clamping device. If it is attached to a vertical edge of a shirt where the shirt buttons up the front, the badge may be oriented vertically rather than horizontally making it difficult to see the photograph. A clothespin type clamp does not hold well on fabric where there is a tendency to rotate the clamping surfaces relative to the fabric. In addition to hospital scrubs, blouses and pullover shirts without front buttons, pockets or collars are frequently worn. These garments have no place to attach the usual identification badge.
Identification badges are sometimes attached to a chain around a person's neck. With such a chain the badge is never properly oriented and about half the time the photograph faces toward the wearer rather than outward so that it can be seen. In such cases badge wearers have to hold their badges up to be seen. Identification badges are also attached to belts around a person's waist. In this location they are difficult to see and may become covered by a shirttail or a loose fitting shirt.
Photograph identification badges generally do not indicate to the public if the wearer is a doctor, a registered nurse, a medical technician, a janitor, or a clerk from the business office. When badges do indicate professional qualifications, the information is too small to read unless the badge is within three feet or so. It can be unsettling to the public and patients not to know who is providing services and if they have the qualifications to provide needed assistance.